The Nigeria Police National Cybercrime Center recently made a crack down by apprehending three individuals suspected to be the masterminds behind the controversial microblogging platform, Gistlover. Acting upon a petition from Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo, the police successfully nabbed the alleged culprits.
According to ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi, the command’s spokesperson, the arrested suspects—Adebukola Kolapo, Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu, and Isaac Akpokighe—are believed to be members of a syndicate known as Gistlover Family, responsible for the daily management of the contentious Gistlover news site.
The suspects were publicly paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, with Adejobi highlighting the blog’s history of cyberstalking, incitement, and blackmail, which has long been a cause for public concern.
Adejobi’s statement revealed shocking details about the suspects’ involvement, stating, “Upon arrest, the suspects confessed to their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, providing corroborative evidence.
Adebukola Kolapo, alias Omo oba Gistlover, was responsible for creating over 80 per cent of the Gistlover pages, actively contributing to criminal acts such as cyberstalking and blackmail against individuals like Hon. and Dr. Mrs. Oluseyi Oladejo. Moreover, Adebukola was involved in laundering money obtained from illegal activities through various means.”
The police further unveiled the roles of the other suspects, Nnedum Somtochukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, elucidating their contributions to the syndicate’s activities. Nnedum was involved in redirecting traffic to new pages whenever the platform faced sanctions, while Isaac imitated the Gistlover blog’s operations, creating multiple pages to replicate defamatory posts against notable Nigerians.
The statement emphasized that the suspects would face legal charges upon the completion of the investigation. It also warned against supporting illegal activities similar to those carried out by Gistlover.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, commended the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center and reaffirmed the Force’s dedication to ensuring citizens’ safety in both physical and digital spaces. CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry’s leadership at the National Cybercrime Center was specifically applauded for its efforts in combating cybercrime.
